Effective immediately, CNNIC has implemented much stricter registration rules for the `.cn' domain names.
Unconfirmed reports suggest that the volume of domain name registrations has fallen markedly since the new rules started on 11 December, and thereby also spam levels.
Whilst online registrations for Chinese domain names can still be processed online, registrants must now submit a paper copy of the registration in the post, or a scanned copy via email or fax, within five working days.
The registration must also include a copy of the application firm's business seal, as well as details of its Chinese company licence.
The tough new rules will make it all but impossible for anyone other than a legitimate business to register a `.cn' domain name.
According to Brett Cove, technical expert with Sophos Canada, in the last 10 days before Christmas, spam levels fell steadily from domain names registered in China.
in a blog posting, Cove said that the motivation behind the move seems more related to cracking down on porn sites, but since `.cn' domains have been the call-to-action in 35-50% of all spam being sent for well over a year, Sophos said it was wondering what effect this policy change may have on the prevalence of this to plevel domain in spam.
"These... spammers have not completely moved away from `.cn' abuse, as this morning we starting seeing an influx of `.cn' domains not previously sighted in spam before, however all these domains were actually registered well before these new CNNIC requirements were implemented", he said.
"It will be interesting to monitor if these new CNNIC requirements continue to push these spammers elsewhere, or if this is just a minor hiccup while they find ways around the new registration hoops", he added.